Time to Heal
by TardisOwner
Summary: Because Lord knows there just aren't enough cheesy one-shots of Kenshin out there! Completely caused by watching the super adorable live-action. R&R. And yeah, I know it's corny. Just go with it.


She was crying.

The knowledge hit him like train. And these weren't the tears Kenshin was used to seeing: these were tears of fear. Fear of losing him. Kaoru was afraid of losing him.

He watched her small frame shake with it, consuming her whole body and her blue eyes leaked little drops down her cheeks. "Please," she whispered. "Please don't go." His heart shattered. His restraint was gone. All he could do was catch her in his arms as she shuffled into him. In the remote corner of his brain, he realized she smelled like jasmine. The rest of him, though, was too busy feeling the warmth of holding her, the feel of her cheek buried into his neck, and her hair next to his jaw. Before he could really analyze the situation, he hugged her tightly, just as he had many months before, on a sultry May night. This time, though, it was different; this time, Kenshin was coming back.

"Kaoru-dono… I will protect you," he said, surprised by the steadiness of his own voice. "I promise." And he meant it—every word.

He reluctantly pulled away and stared at her face, drinking it in. She was beautiful, and if Kenshin had his way, he would hold her like this forever and never deal with this petty situation of opium smugglers and Saitou. Fate knew he more than deserved a rest from fighting. However, he knew he had to do this one thing, if only for the sake of protecting the woman—he could say it confidently now, because he knew in his heart it was true—that he loved. So he allowed himself to look freely over her face, from her full, barely-pink lips to her soft face to those curious eyes that seemed to ask a thousand questions he had no answers to. The tears had stopped now, as he saw a glint in her eyes he knew too well: she wanted the truth and would do anything to get it. But then, she surprised him. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she would change the rules. He loved that about her. Just as he thought she would pull away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and lightly pressed her lips to his.

For the first time in a long time, Kenshin's mind was completely blank. There was no reaction he could muster. When she pulled away, the only expression Kenshin could muster was slack-jawed and probably stupid. He wasn't concerned though. He was too busy trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she had kissed him… and he desperately wanted to kiss her back.

The look in her eye was tentative, gauging his reaction. She seemed to think that his reaction was appropriate, though, because she looked him in the eyes desperately as before, but there was another desperation there that Kenshin could relate to. It was the same urge he was fighting, which was something akin to leading her back into the dojo and never letting go of her again. But he couldn't stay, and he knew that too well. "Just… come back to me," she whispered.

Without thinking, he cupped her face in his hand. "I will," he replied. His lips tentatively met hers, and he kissed her with the most amount of restraint he could muster, but it was still taking his breath away. She kissed him back, unafraid, comfortable—as if this is how they had spent years together. She pulled away, which was a good thing: Kenshin was unable to. He was hungry for her, which was the closest Kenshin had ever come to losing it since he met her.

"In one piece," she amended. Kenshin couldn't help the smile that played on his lips as she raised her finger and poked his nose lightly.

"Yes, Kaoru."

She worked quickly, for which Kenshin was thankful. Kaoru wasn't nearly as gentle as Megumi, but it didn't matter too terribly much. Kenshin still hated pain—it was something he'd never quite become accustomed to, even during the Bakumatsu. Now, however, with his age and the frequency of his injuries, Kenshin was liking pain less and less. After she finished salving his back, he winced as the herbs started taking effect… and burning like a fire from Hell in the process.

He heard her click her tongue. "You're such a baby," she scolded as she placed the bandage on his back. Her movements were a little more gentle, despite the reprimand. He was soothed by the strokes of her cool hands on his injury, but at the last minute, she smacked his back. He arched away from the pain and hissed out a complaint.

She scooted around to face him as he tried to reach around to help his poor, abused back. He looked at her sourly. She giggled, and it was music to his ears.

However, her face clouded, her expression sobered, and the pout that always melted his heart appeared on her face. "You came back…" she said.

"Are you unhappy?"

Her big, blue eyes widened. "No, no! I'm happy!" she waved her hands in front of her. "It's just that… I didn't think you would." She wouldn't meet his gaze and began tracing the design in the wood on the floor with her index finger.

"Why would you think that?"

She looked up, and then away again, averting his eyes. "Because… you kissed me."

For a panicked moment, Kenshin was afraid he'd done the wrong thing. He'd mistaken her reaction. She didn't want him.

Then, she continued. "I… I want you to stay… forever." He barely heard it, but he couldn't help but feel as if she had shouted at him. She'd said those words before to him, but they had slipped out. She didn't mean them to be heard. This time, though, she did. She meant forever. She wanted him. Forever.

"Will you?" she looked at him this time, trying to read his eyes. "Will you stay?"

A small, grateful smile crossed his face. "Until you send me away." It was the truth. She had more power over him than he cared to admit. More than even Tomoe could manage. She had him on a leash like her own personal bodyguard, but he loved every minute of the servitude she had placed him in.

She smiled. "What if I don't ever send you away?" There was something especially seductive in the way she said it. Kenshin wanted her so badly.

"Then, I suppose, I'll never leave."

"Then, I suppose, you should kiss me again."

It was a game, and Kenshin was quickly falling for it. But, in the nick of time, he stopped himself from leaning into her and kissing her with everything he had. She was still an arm's length away. "But Kaoru-dono, that's something a husband would do."

He hadn't really thought about the double meaning in his words until they were already out of his mouth. Her eyes widened, her lips parted in a soft "oh," and pink dusted her cheeks. He was sure that was the same expression he wore too, as he was shocked he'd said something so provocative to her. They stared at each other, trying to figure out how kidding they were.

Finally, Kenshin managed to understand the pointed look in Kaoru's eyes. "….Would you-?"

"Yes."

Kenshin's eyes widened. For the first time in his life, he'd been outmatched by a girl. It wasn't the answer to the question he was going to ask, but it was to the one he wanted to ask. She wanted to be his, if her eyes were any testament.

"Kiss me anyway?"

How on earth could he refuse?


End file.
